


Not the Right Day

by aizia



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-15
Updated: 2014-10-15
Packaged: 2018-02-21 06:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2458415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aizia/pseuds/aizia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mamihlapinatapei - the look between two people in which each loves the other but is too afraid to make the first move.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not the Right Day

The mover was mostly ridiculous; benders running around in space suits, Satomobile crashes that, as Asami pointed out, were mechanically implausible, and outfits so grandiose it was humorous in a way it probably wasn’t intended to be.

Various companies had attempted to capitalize on Varrick’s mover success, though judging by the quality of the one they were watching, it probably hadn’t succeeded. But Bolin had insisted they watch all the comedies he could get his hands on, somehow convincing Varrick to set up a trial version of his home-projector invention in the Air Temple. It was a good distraction, at least.

The screen was grainy and speckled, and Asami was fairly sure she could fix it, but Korra had rolled her eyes when she offered and patted the space beside her on the sofa, as if to say I don’t care, just watch the damn mover with me.

And so Asami obliged, careful to leave just the right amount of space between them as she sat down. It was more than a friendly distance, especially considering how large the couch was, but it was nothing to raise immediate questions. In the past months they’d gotten so physically comfortable with each other that she doubted Korra would think anything of it, anyway.

The first half of the mover was so horrendous it was entertaining, and Asami made a habit of nudging Korra in the arm each time she noticed something especially farcical, receiving little grins in response. She had a fleeting thought that she could spend many days like this.

It wasn’t until the climax of the battle scene that Korra became fully engrossed with the mover, and Asami took advantage of this to turn her head and glance at her. Slightly disheveled shoulder-length hair, attentive eyes. 

Korra meant the world to her, though it had taken her weeks to accept that. She knew ever since the day Korra was poisoned, when she stood helplessly on the sidelines, feeling like she’d physically break if she lost another person she loved that much.

Panic had once risen in her throat whenever she thought about how much she cared for her. Not because she was scared of her own feelings; it was that awful pattern of tragedy that had come for the two people she had once loved most.

Something had changed in Asami that first day at the Air Temple, the thing that had caused her to pledge every spare moment to help Korra get through this calamity she never deserved. At first she dismissed it as protectiveness, or some sort of nurturing instinct. But there was more to it than that, and she was reminded of this every day, whether she liked it or not.

Korra turned to Asami when the mover mellowed down and caught her eye. There was a moment where they only looked at each other, Korra’s eyes glazed and soft from the projector’s glare.

Asami wanted to say something. Many things.

But it seemed almost selfish now, when there were so many other things to be thinking about.

Korra reached out and her hand grazed Asami’s cheek, lingering on her jawbone before dropping back to the sofa. Asami blinked and Korra looked down, suddenly transfixed by her hands.

Recovering from her initial surprise, the engineer took both of Korra’s hands in her own and squeezed them gently before letting go. Korra opened her mouth, then closed it, deciding instead to lean against Asami and fall asleep, like she had so many nights before.

Asami halfheartedly listened to the hum of the mover, watching as the love interests kissed and the credits rolled. She would tell her everything. It just hadn’t been the right day.


End file.
